As consistently good as the program has been, the Nittany Lions have sent few quarterback prospects to the NFL. Penn State has had more than its share of pro players, but much of that success has come on the defensive side of the ball.

The last quarterback to get drafted, Michael Robinson, has made his mark in the NFL as a fullback. Wally Richardson was the last true quarterback to be taken as a seventh-rounder to the Baltimore Ravens in 1997.

Anthony Morelli, a five-star high school recruit, is playing in the Arena Football League. Pat Devlin, who transferred to Delaware in 2009, is listed as the No. 3 quarterback on the Miami Dolphins' depth chart.

The last Penn State quarterback to excel at the next level was Kerry Collins, a first-round pick in the 1995 NFL draft. The Lebanon native played 17 seasons for six different teams and made two Pro Bowls before retiring in 2011.

Before Collins, there was Tony Sacca and Todd Blackledge, Chuck Fusina and John Hufnagel. Blackledge, a first-round pick, played five NFL seasons for the Chiefs and Steelers. Sacca played just one after being picked in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft.

If recent success is any indication, Penn State could soon establish a new reputation at the next level.

McGloin's journey is well-chronicled by now; a former walk-on who was in and out of the starting lineup at Penn State. He had his share of struggles with turnovers and poor decisions, with the lowest point coming when he threw five interceptions in the 2011 Outback Bowl.

But McGloin was transformed as a senior in 2012, guiding coach Bill O'Brien's offense with surprising efficiency. He led the Big Ten in passing (3,266 yards) and threw for 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He tried out for three NFL teams and eventually signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders.

He's since been elevated to Terrelle Pryor's backup, beating out fourth-round pick Tyler Wilson and veteran Matt Flynn for the job. Pryor suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter Sunday, which opened the door for McGloin's debut.

That success hasn't been lost on O'Brien or the quarterback prospects he's begun to recruit. In many ways, the transformation of a former walk-on into an NFL quarterback is one of O'Brien's great recruiting pitches. The thought process is nearly unavoidable: "If he can do THAT with McGloin, imagine what he can do with me."

Christian Hackenberg, a big-armed former five-star recruit, has shown NFL potential after replacing McGloin as the Nittany Lions' starter. Hackenberg can be the canvas for O'Brien's true masterpiece, with NFL grumblings already beginning to surface after a successful eight-game stretch to begin his career.

"It took a while for that to sink in," O'Connor said. "But I think that if they did what
they did with Matt McGloin in one year, then the future must be very
bright for a quarterback who can spend four seasons with that coaching
staff."

And so the cycle begins. McGloin goes to the NFL and indirectly gives Penn State a better chance to replicate that success. At least that's the hope.

The longer McGloin's improbable run continues, the better it can be for Penn State.